Change Up My Coffee Ritual?

byDeborah PenneronJuly 26, 2015

Tuesday morning as I was boiling my coffee water, I was drawn to clean my coffee cups before dripping the coffee into them, to change up my coffee ritual. I resisted at first because I always just drip my coffee into the cups that have yesterday’s coffee in them. It’s just me after all. Does it matter? And I like the depth of the flavor.

Two cups, using a number 2 small cone filter. That way if I want more than 2 cups, I have to make a conscious decision to make the coffee first. I have to want another round enough to do that.

I chose to listen to the urge and in the following the very subtle urge, I discovered that there is something fresh and new about dripping the coffee into a freshly cleaned cup without yesterday’s taste. It gives the opportunity for a fresh taste. A new day, a new taste. It brings to mind the scripture “His mercies are new every morning.”

Yesterday’s joy. Yesterday’s experience. Clinging to yesterday especially if it was a sweet day in the hopes of carrying forward that same sweetness. We do that a lot. Have you noticed? I’ve noticed I do that a lot. I have an awesome day and I try to recreate the awesome instead of staying open to the wonder of the day I am now in.

When I stayed present to the moment, to the loving kindness of this day, here’s what happened.

I noticed how much joy I felt touching the cups I’d be drinking the coffee out of as I cleaned them. Appreciating the sensation of the water used to clean them. Appreciating the feel of each cup in my hand.

I extended that cleaning to the pans used to cook my food, hanging them up on the wall after washing them. Touching the cookware that contributes to my food, to my eating pleasure, to my physical nourishment. Expanding into appreciation. Infusing the cookware and utensils with love and gratitude in honor of their contribution to my well being. There is indeed nothing that is not sacred.

It felt so amazing to reconnect with the sense of wonder in my kitchen in the early morning hours. My hands tingle at the remembrance carrying into this moment, this morning’s grace. Its loving kindness is new every morning.

The coffee? There was a fresh richness to it, a new depth, strong as ever, minus the hint of yesterday! A new day, new sensation on my tongue.

Where have your rituals become rote? What might you change up? What will you open yourself to with one subtle change up?